“Lt. Governor Fairfax should have already resigned,” Hope said. “It is atrocious that he will be presiding over the Senate of Virginia today with these allegations. The message being sent to victims of sexual assault is chilling.”

Hope claimed that feedback from other members of the Democratic caucus convinced him to hold back on pursuing impeachment while “additional conversations” take place.

“The purpose of the additional time is so that we can find the best process to investigate these crimes with the broadest possible support,” Hope said. “The impeachment process is about investigating to find the truth. I am open to discussions on other avenues that would accomplish the same goals.”